That’s a big budgie

Nottingham

This story begins some 15 years ago when l lived in Nottingham at the time l worked night's and it was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The loud knocking at the front door awoke me then the shout "Stephen one of your budgies has escaped", quickly getting dressed. At the front door was a group of kids telling one of my budgies was in the tree next door.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, off we go and guess what it was not one of my budgies.

I remember saying " yerrhhh that's a big budgie", as the bird was about 14 inch long from head to tail and a bright green body colour with a black head and a red ring on each of his leg.

If only my budgies were that size wishful thinking, as you may have guessed it was not a budgie but a Nenday conure. Being up for a challenge l set about capturing this bird, so back to house and collect to some small pieces of millet.

l chucked a a couple pieces of millet on the lawn below the tree and sure enough down flew the bird, picked up the millet and proceeded to eat the millet in the tree.

Ok he's hungry

Going to the birdroom to get my largest net, l set about so capturing this bird.

First Attempt

l sat on the lawn and started throwing some more millet pieces down. Each piece about 6 inch apart with the last piece within reach of my arm and net.

Sure enough after a little time the conure came down. Eating each piece and ever getting closer to me. Whoosh with the net miss number one, two more attempts of catching fresh air and the birds back in the tree.

Thinking cap on

Thinking cap on l need a different plan, this time sunflower seeds are to be the bait. As before the first seed was thrown about a two feet away. Sure enough down come he comes eats the seed l throw him another seed this time a little closer and so on until he starts to taking the sunflowers from my hand. This guy has been hand fed so l released the seed immediately to gain his trust. Another seed but this time l held the seed until he gave it a little tug.

l would towel him, so as he tried to pull the seed out from between my finger with my other hand l throw the towel over him.

Who's the daddy now

Mission accomplished bird captured, then it dawn on me where am l going to keep him.